


One Fateful Night

by DetectiveRiley (RavenWhitecastle)



Category: The Witcher (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Character Turned Into Vampire, Comfort/Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Geraskier, M/M, Near Death, Temporary Character Death, Twilight Style Vampires, Vampire Bites, Vampire Geralt, Vampire Turning, Whump, Worried Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:07:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27550516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenWhitecastle/pseuds/DetectiveRiley
Summary: Geralt is a vampire AND a witcher, which makes hunting monsters easier.Having a bard following him around like a puppy makes things much, much harder.-Inspire by tishawish's Vampire!AU comic on tumblr! Permission to write this fic inspired by the artwork was explicitly given by the artist. Dialogue snippets were taken from the linked work. Italics are flashback to the previous night, and plain text is the present.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 52





	One Fateful Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tishawish](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tishawish/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Happy Halloween!!](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/713278) by tishawish. 



For the first time in a long time, Geralt’s world was silent. 

Geralt was used to hearing Jaskier’s heartbeat almost constantly. As a vampire and a witcher, Geralt could hear things that most humans couldn’t, but he paid special attention to Jaskier’s pulse. It was a metronome, it was his tether to the human world. So of course when it was gone, Geralt found its absence palpable. The steady thumping from within Jaskier’s chest had been replaced with a deafening silence. Jaskier’s warmth was replaced with a touch as cold as Geralt’s own. It was reminiscent of how the witcher had discovered the bard the night before, on a fateful hunt in the woods.

~

_The forest was dark, and even with his heightened vision, Geralt was having trouble keeping track of the wraith. It flitted between the trees, dodging his attacks before disappearing into the fog._

_Getalt swore. It had taken him all night to find the damn thing. With a sigh, he returned to the spot where he’d told Jaskier to wait for him. The hunt was supposed to be quick, but the wraith was old and powerful, and Geralt had his work cut out for him._

_Jaskier wasn’t in the hollow when Geralt returned. “Where did he get to?” Geralt wondered to himself, “I told him to stay put.” Perhaps Jas had simply gotten bored and wandered back into town-_

_Suddenly, he smelled it. The slight tang in the air, like copper and rust. Blood._

_“Jaskier,” he murmured. He nearly slipped on the wet grass and leaves in his haste to follow the scent. He could only hope he wasn’t too late._

~

Geralt studied Jaskier now, as the bard readied himself for his coming performance. He’d promised the tavern owner to play that night in exchange for a room. And as he loved to remind Geralt, “The show must go on.” Jas had insisted, despite Geralt’s reservations about letting a newly turned vampire in front of a room full of people. 

So, after they’d found something for Jaskier to feed on and hurried back to the inn, he’d begun the process of warming up and getting dressed. He looked almost the same as he always did. His posture was the same. His head bobbed and his foot tapped as he mentally rehearsed. The biggest noticeable difference was the paleness of his skin. It was so white it was almost blue, much like Geralt’s. The same color it had been when Geralt found him again. 

~

_“JASKIER!”_

_The bard was collapsed in a heap, lying in a pool of blood. Geralt’s stomach dropped. The wraith must have attacked him and then fled, to keep Geralt distracted and make its escape._

_Geralt fell to his knees at Jaskier’s side. “Hey,” he murmured. Jas wasn’t moving. His skin was pale and cold. Geralt realized with rising fear- the woods were silent._

_He couldn’t hear Jaskier’s heartbeat._

~

Jaskier’s voice interrupted Geralt’s brooding. “I know I was dying,” he said, examining the puncture wound on his neck with his fingers, “but did you have to bite so high?”

Geralt grumbled. Jaskier’s vanity never failed to confuse him. “I should have bitten his face,” he growled, just low enough so Jaskier wouldn’t hear. If Geralt was being honest, he wished he hadn’t needed to bite Jaskier at all. But he hadn’t had much choice.

~

_No. No. NO._

_Geralt started to panic. Jaskier couldn’t die. Not like this. There was so much left for Jaskier to do, so much that Jaskier needed to know, that Geralt hadn’t told him. And if Geralt didn’t act fast, he’d never get the chance._

_Cradling Jaskier as gently as he could, Geralt leaned down to sink his teeth into Jaskier’s neck. The pop of his fangs breaking through skin made Geralt’s stomach roll, but he tired to focus. It was Jaskier’s only hope._

Please, _Geralt prayed silently,_ PLEASE, let this work. _He forced himself to extract his teeth and stop himself from drinking- not that there was much blood left that hadn’t seeped into the dirt below- but he stayed close, watching for a sign, any sign, of life._

~

Lip curling, Geralt felt his anger resurface. “I wouldn’t have had to bite you, if you hadn’t been so reckless!” he snarled, “I told you to stay here, and when you refused to do that, I told you to stay hidden. But you couldn’t even do that!”

Jaskier sighed- a dramatic, long-suffering sight that Geralt had become all too familiar with. “How am I supposed to write epic ballads about your adventures if I’m not there to see what happens?”

“Fuck’s sake, you were dead, Jaskier!”

The shout echoed around the room, and hung in the silence that followed.

After a moment, Jaskier cleared his throat. “Well, now I’m UNdead, thanks to you. You saved my… well, you saved me. And I will be eternally grateful.”

Geralt scowled at the floor. _Eternally grateful._ Jaskier’s choice of words was a grim reminder- he was immortal now, too. Geralt’s regret almost rivaled his relief. 

~

_Geralt had all but abandoned hope when Jaskier’s eyes finally fluttered. “Jaskier?” he murmured, his heart in his throat._

_When Jaskier’s eyes opened, his pupils were dilated, and his irises were blood red. Jas groaned, blinking as his eyes adjusted. Geralt knew from experience that the moon would be too bright, the smells too heavy. But even through his haze, Jas still recognized the witcher. “Geralt?”_

_Geralt had never been so relieved to hear the bard say his name._

_Jas winced when Geralt pulled him to his chest. Geralt loosened his grip, but didn’t let go. The minute that Jaskier had been dead was the worst minute of Geralt’s life._

_“Geralt?” Jaskier whispered hoarsely, wrapping an arm around Geralt’s shoulders. “Are you alright? Talk to me.”_

_Geralt wiped his eyes before he pulled away so Jaskier wouldn’t see. “I’m fine,” he replied gruffly. Clearing his throat, he asked, “How do you feel?”_

_“... Hungry.”_

~

Geralt studied Jaskier as he finished preening. Despite his reservations, Geralt was glad that Jaskier was still there. He was different, he was a vampire now. But he was healthy, and safe.

Closing the distance between them, Geralt put a hand on Jaskier’s shoulder, avoiding the bard’s gaze. Jaskier watched him, curious, but waited patiently for Geralt to speak his piece. “Just…” Geralt started. His voice was thick with emotion, and soft. He cleared his throat. “Just be more careful. Please.”

Geralt held his breath, unsure how Jas would respond. To his surprise, Jaskier curled a finger under Geralt’s chin, lifting his head to look into his eyes. “I will. But only for you.”

He pulled away, reaching for his jacket, but Geralt was glued to the spot. He cursed his traitorous heart. If it hadn’t been physically still as stone, it would have been doing somersaults. 

“Look on the bright side,” Jaskier said, breaking the spell, “Now neither of us will age and you won’t be prettier than me anymore.”

Geralt chuckled as Jaskier swept past him and out of the room. He turned to follow, until he realized what Jas had said. If he’d had a pulse, he would have blushed. _He thinks I’m pretty?!_

_fin_

**Author's Note:**

> A great big thanks to tishawish for letting me write this! Their comic is so dynamic and amazing, I was immediately inspired.


End file.
